Extremes of Paul

[marie glen]

Greetings fellow semi sane ones on the www and on the planet! Here's some advice for all of us.. - back away from the computer and go outside weather permitting.. don't miss the season..

Please forgive my bit o whimsy! One thing about not being in a church, not a whole lot of biblical or the Lord conversation going on.. Solitary confinement! :laughing7: (Wouldn't change it for the world.. til He does..)

Some circles say (or imply?) 'let's take Paul out of the Bible. Who's that guy anyway?" Other circles seem to be saying "Paul invented and gave us a whole new gospel". Then it's either hooray Paul or 'who's this fellow anyway?!'

But Paul says he was a herald of the gospel. The victorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes he told churches to follow his example.. In following and serving Jesus. We are, and want to be Jesus' slaves. [As slaves, once corrected and placed on The Way, as slaves we sure do have a lot of freedom! John 14? "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give rest unto your soul, for My yoke is easy, My burden is light."

Paul said he was a slave of the Lord. The victorious gospel is in the Old Testament.. "The gentiles have seen a great light" and in the Book of Acts they did.. And still are. Jesus said "you will be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, judeah, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.. And in Acts that's exactly what occurred / the Holy Spirit did, and is still occurring.. A record preserved for us. And that's what the letters of Paul are, and the others, a continuing of that recording of that record.

I know our translations at least once says "my gospel" written by Paul.. Even without searching out the Greek of the verse, considering other verses, it's highly unlikely (imo) Paul meant he invented it and gave it to the world.. The verse might be where the word herald comes in, in the Greek.. I can't remember..
God bless! Have a Great day! :gsmile:

[Ross]

Paul was on a specific mission.
I used to accept the church teachings and how they raved about so many following him everywhere and people being saved every day.
Then noticed this verse;

2 Tim 4;16 " At my first defence no one came forward, but ALL deserted me; may it not be held against them."

Then slowly came to grasp the fact that Paul names a few specific people.
This makes sense about a specific plan for all as individuals and at allotted times.
The ages to come in the plural sense to carry out that plan.
All my previous church life the plural concept was NEVER mentioned.
Paul was blessed to see this mystery which had been hidden for ages.
We too are blessed to be aware of this concept- all pretty glorious and precise really.
Extreme to the max.

[Dandelion]

I, personally, cannot imagine the Bible, without Paul's influence.

Probably the greatest missionary who ever lived, and a person who gave us much insight into some of the concepts that Jesus mentioned.

For instance, where would we be without this great quote?

Ephesians 2:

4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

OR:

1 Corinthians 15:

20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.

I believe God put Paul in all of our paths, for very specific reasons.

D.

[MusicLover123]

Great thought so far!

Just to add to the list of verses, here are some of my favorites from Paul. Also, remember that Paul said that we see that we see through the glass darkly. Pretty profound considering all the revelation he was given!

Romans

KJV Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

KJV Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 
YLT Rom 8:17  and if children, also heirs, heirs, indeed, of God, and heirs together of Christ—if, indeed, we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together. 
Rotherham Rom 8:17 And, if children, heirs also—heirs, indeed, of God, but co-heirs with Christ,—if, at least, we are suffering together, in order that we may also be glorified together.

Rotherham Rom 8:18  For I reckon that unworthy are the sufferings of the present season to be compared with the glory about to be revealed towards us

KJV Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

The whole 8th chapter of Romans is such joy, but wanted to pick out some particular favorites from there

Colossians

Rotherham Col 1:16  Because, in him, were created all things in the heavens and upon the earth, the things seen and the things unseen, whether thrones or lordships or principalities or authorities,—they all, through him and for him, have been created,
Col 1:17  And, he, is before all, and, they all, in him, hold together

Acts

Rotherham Act 17:27  that they might be seeking God—if, after all, indeed, they might feel after him and find him,—although, in truth, he is already not far from any one of us.
Act 17:28  For, in him, we live and move and are: as, even some of your own poets, have said—For, his offspring also, we are.

KJV Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 

1 Peter (This isn't Paul, but saw this verse and really liked it)

KJV 1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory

Rotherham 1Pe 1:7  In order that the proving of your faith—much more precious than of gold that perisheth even though, by means of fire, it is proved—may be found unto praise and glory and honour in the revealing of Jesus Christ,—
1Pe 1:8  Whom, not having seen, ye love, on whom, though at present not looking, but believing, ye exult with joy unspeakable and filled with glory

Rotherham 1Pe 5:6  Be made lowly, therefore, under the strong hand of God, that he may lift, you, up in due time

James

Concordant Jas 4:10 Be humbled, then, in the Lord's sight, and He shall be exalting you

[rosered]

 

  Thanks  for this  :dsunny:  love you all    :HeartThrob:

  Paul   was used as one  of many  prime examples  for GODS GLORY  in my opinion .

GOD took a murderer    and made him a saint , a  holy one !!
  two  different  natures / lives in one man !!!

one of a beast  , that was made a new creature in CHRIST   ...  His anointing  was  made known  to  us all this very day .

What a gift , the prophecy being fulfilled in    Saul to Paul was   quite  extraordinary

  the pattern   of a vessel  of dishonor  to being made a vessel of honor    for JESUS  and the Father


I will cause the  blind the see and the seeing made blind !!   in Isaiah 35;5    and John 9;39  we have this prophecy   and in Acts we have the facts  in Saul to Paul's conversion  on the road to Damascus   !
He really did receive the testimony of Jesus Christ as the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT  PROPHECY  fulfilling ...

  THE TRUTH is a Light  that blinds those that think they see ,  and the  blind are made to see the truth /  Jesus Christ   !

when the scales fall off the eyes  , the scales are their pride , the sea beast of Job  41      old Leviathan   
  of the Levi priesthood thinking they are doing God a service   , but it is the ministration of   a death sentence  by the sword of their mouths !

   Simon and Levi are the cruel brothers of Jacobs  seed and this is their inheritance  and lot   , A PATTERN ,before becoming  new creatures in CHRIST   under the new and glorious priesthood of   MELCHIZEDEK And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was [is] the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, 'Blessed be Abram to the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth, And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand'.

  Gen 49

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers;

their swords are weapons of violence.

6May I never enter their council;

may I never join their assembly.

For they kill men in their anger,

and hamstring oxen on a whim.

7Cursed be their anger, for it is strong,

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will disperse them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.

  As  for Saul before Paul    he was of the tribe of Benjamin  [ a little one ]    funny how   the names have such a pattern and meaning   , Saul means asked or acquired buy or obtain (an object or asset) for oneself.
synonyms:   obtain, come by, get, receive, gain, earn, win, come into, be given; More
learn or develop (a skill, habit, or quality).
"you must acquire the rudiments of Greek"
achieve (a particular reputation) as a result of one's behavior or activities.

  Paul means small or little  ,  that little Benjamin Psalms 68 There is little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun -- heads of Naphtali.

27Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;

in the morning he devours the prey,

in the evening he divides the plunder."

  I cannot help  but think  of JESUS words   , the least of the kingdom of God Luke 7:28

Jesus was going to change that  at the cross!!!  born again of the Spirit  , Saul / Paul was   a grande  example of being born again of the Spirit of Life ...   taking captivity [ death ] captive to Christ   , in Adam all die and in Christ all shall be made alive ....      the life is the Light in men
  John 1 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.

4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.

5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome/ understand /prevail   it....prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious   over the LIGHT  ! THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD /TRUTH . WISDOM


   :HeartThrob:    :dsunny:

[jugghead]

I myself see this verse differently:

Rom 2:16  InG1722 the dayG2250 whenG3753 GodG2316 shall judgeG2919 theG3588 secretsG2927 of menG444 byG1223 JesusG2424 ChristG5547 accordingG2596 to myG3450 gospel.G2098

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel

AS

In the day when God distinguishes the concealed countenance by the Word of the Spirit according to me, a good message.

To me, Paul considers it a good message to have the concealed countenance distinguished

the term "according to my" ... to me ... is as if he is saying in modern terms "in my opinion"

and because of his use of "Jesus Christ" and "Christ Jesus" that there is a difference between the two uses, the two uses are distinguished as:

Jesus Christ = Word of the Spirit - which denotes us in Him
AND
Christ Jesus = Spirit of the Word - which denotes Him in us

When the "Spirit of the Word" is sent to us from God (Heaven) we become the "Word in the Spirit" in this earth

But this is just "my opinion"